Brake-beam.



[Patented Dec. 16, I902 s. A. cause. BRAKE BEAM. Application filed Aug. 19, 1902.

(N9 Model.)

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Emma Sterne Farms SETH A. CRONE, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

BRAKE-BEAM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No."715,996, dated December 16, 1902.

Application filed August 19, 1902. Serial No. 120,184. (No model) To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, SETH A. CRONE, a citi zen of the United States, and a residentof New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brake-Beams, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in brake-beams; and it consists in the novel features, arrangement, and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In its preferred form the brake-beam of my invention comprises a rolled beam member having on its ends the brake-shoe heads, a truss-rod member passing through apertures in and engaging at its outer ends the outer edges of said heads, and a central strut adapted to receive the brake-lever and engaging said beam member and said truss-rod member.

The object of the invention is to produce a more efficient and desirable brake-beam than those heretofore known.

The invention will be readily understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top view of a brake-beam constructed in accordance with and embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of same on the dotted line 2 2 of Fig. 1, that portion of the central strut engaging the truss-v rod being shown in its initial condition prior to the bending of a lip formed thereon against the side of said truss-rod to retain the latter in position. Fig. 3 is a like view, on a larger scale, of a portion of same, the wedge for binding the strut member against the truss rod being omitted. Fig. 4 is a view corresponding with Fig. 3, but showing the wedge in poof the beam 10 are the brake-shoe heads 12,

which present the usual required edge outline and are formed with sockets conforming to the shape of the ends of the beam 10 and pass upon said ends, as denoted by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. The heads 12 are also formed with the apertures 16, through which the books 17, formed on the ends of the truss-rod 11, pass, said hooks 17 when the parts of the brake-beam are in position engaging the outer angular edges of the heads 12, as shown in Fig. 1.

The central strut 13 comprises the section 14, engaging the beam 10, and the section 15, engaging the truss-rod 11, the said section 14 having the sleeve portion 18 closely engaging the beam 10 and also the frame portion 19 to receive the brake-lever and the bolt pivotally supporting the same. The section 14 of the strut 13 has at its end an integral dowel 20, adapted to enter a socket 21 in the strut member 15, and the strut member15 at the base of said socket 21 is slotted to receive when necessary a wedge 22, whose purpose will be to force the members 14 and 15 of the strut in a direction from each other for the purpose of placing a proper tension upon the trussrod 11. to employ the'wedge 22; but provision for the use of said wedge is made because there may be occasions when it may be desired to force the strut members apart for the purpose stated. The strut member 15 at its outer end is in its initial condition formed with the shoulder 23 and lip 24, said shoulder and lip being substantially at right angles to each other, and said lip after the truss-rod is in position being adapted to be bent against the side of the same, as shown in Fig. 4, for the purpose of cooperating with said shoulder 23 in maintaining said truss-rod in correct position. The laterally-extending lip 24 is given the initial position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, so as to make it convenient to apply the truss- It will not be necessaryat all times rod 11 against the shoulder 23, and after the application of the truss-rod to position the lip 24 is bent from the position in which it is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 to that in which it is shown in Fig. 4, said lip then constituting, with the adjacent portions of the strut member 15, a groove receiving and retaining the truss-rod in position.

In assembling the several parts of the brakebeam the heads 12 will be passed upon the ends of the beam 10 and the truss-rods will have its ends inserted through the apertures 16, formed in said heads, the middle portion of the truss-rod being placed against the shoulder 23 of the strut member 15, the wedge 22 not then being in position. The middle portions of the truss-rod 11 will, preparatory to the application of said trust-rod into its operative position, be heated,so that thehooks l7 thereon may be drawn into engagement with the outer angular edges of the heads 12 by pulling the middle portion of said rod to reach the position shown in Fig. 3, and upon the said truss-rod being applied to position against the shoulder 23 the lip 24 will be bent to engage its side and the truss-rod will be allowed to cool, the cooling of the truss-rod resulting in its contraction and in its being firmly bound against the strut and also at its outer ends against the brake-heads 12. I rely upon the contraction of the truss-rod 11 after its heating to attain the proper tension of said rod against the strut and brakeshoe heads, and upon the contraction of the rod 11 the adjoining ends of the strut members 14 15 under proper conditions will come together, as shown in Fig. 3, the outer inclined end of the dowel 20 at such time being close to, but not contacting with, the base of the socket 21 in the strut member 15, which base, as shown in Fig. 3, is inclined oppositely to the inclination of the outer end of said dowel 20. If, however, an occasion should arise requiring an increased tension in the truss-rod 11, the same may be secured by driving the wedge 22 through the slots 30, formed in the strut member 15, as shown in Fig. 4, said wedge entering between the dowel 20 and the base of the socket 21 and when in position being bent over at its smaller end, as shown, so that it may not under any circumstances accidentally lose its position.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

-1. The brake-beam comprising the beam member, the brake-shoe heads on the ends thereof, the truss member having hooked ends engaging the outer angular edges of said heads, and the strut, said heads having openings to admit the outer end portions of said truss member and said hooked ends extending outwardly along the outer ends of said heads in line with the ends of said beam member and turning around the outer angular corners of said heads; substantially as set forth.

2. The brake-beam comprising the beam member, the brake-shoe heads on the ends thereof, the truss member having hooked ends engaging the outer angular edges of said heads, and the strut, said heads having openings to admit the outer end portions of said truss member, and said strut comprising the sections 14: and 15 and wedge 22, the latter being intermediate the adjoining ends of said sections; substantially as set forth.

The brake-beam com prising the channelbeam member 10, the brake-shoe heads having sockets conforming to and fitting upon the ends of said beam 10, the truss member having hooked ends engaging the outer angular edges of said heads, and the strut, said heads having openings to admit the outer end portions of said truss member and said hooked ends extending outwardly along the outer ends of said heads in line with the ends of said beam member and turning around the outer angular corners of said heads; substantially as set forth.

4. The brake-beam comprising the beam member, the brake-shoe heads on the ends thereof, the truss-rod member, and the strut comprising the sections 14:, 15, and wedge 22, the section 14 having at one end the sleeve fitting upon said beam and at the other end the dowel, and the section 15 being in engagement with said rod and having the socket toreceive said dowel and being slotted to admit said wedge; substantially as set forth.

5. The brake-beam comprising the beam member, the brake-shoe heads on the ends thereof, the truss member having hooked ends engaging the outer angular edges of said heads, and the extensible strut, said heads having openings to admit the outer end portions of said truss member and said hooked ends extending outwardly along the outer ends of said heads in line with the ends of said beam member and turning around the outer angular corners of said heads; substantially as set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 16th day of August, A. D. 1902.

SETH A. ORONE.

\Vitnesses:

CHAS. C. GILL, ARTHUR MARION. 

